I know, I know! Post just as soon as your package is received (even if just to say, it's here!) ~ don't leave your partner hanging!

Thanks for the reminder, Lars!

Great job summing it up, Lars. In addition to Pauline's suggestion, there is the rule that one must sufficiently 'oooh' and 'ahhh' over everyone else's packages. I think thats about 50 packages. Yup, its hard work but we all put forth a great deal of effort into these boxes!

Lars- some of us do send more than five- we might send a few things grouped as a "category".

Rule number one - have fun!

I sent more than five items grouped in categories - I had some very good luck shopping (several items bought at a large discount) so was able to send more items while not going too far off what I wanted to spend.

I also have some items that are grouped as a category. As I understand it, if your theme is BBQ you can ship 3 different types of BBQ sauce and that's one. A set of 4 napkins would still be one.

At least that's how I understand it. (grin)

Annie

And, er, another unspoken rule (I'm guilty I owe a few) is to write a thank you note to your partner....maybe thats not a rule, its just common sense and courtesy...

(ducking and running to my stationary box)

::: closing the lid on Jessy's stationary box :::

Oh boy, do I feel like a HUGE HEEL! I've never sent a proper thank you card and it's not because I don't have all the appropriate social stationery! I hope I have at a minimun sent a personal email. All those years of wanting to be in the Junior League...I guess they knew I'd forget to send "thank you" cards!

No reason to feel like a heel Deb. I think that most members post their thank yous on the exchange forum and send an email.

Looks like everyone has pretty much covered all the rules.

I think that the most important rule is the one that Pauline mentioned. Posting if not immediately, then as soon as possible is the most important. If you are going to have a problem posting the contents of your swap box quickly then at least let your partner know that the box arrived safely.

Ann

Deb, I've never sent a thank you card either, just an email and/or a thank you post here. I guess I'd better not aspire to the Junior League either and I don't even HAVE a stationary (or stationery, LOL) box.

Annie

Whew! I feel better now!

Me too, Momto4kids!

I think its a personal preference. E-mail thank yous are fine. I always send a handwritten thank you for my swaps, but that's what I'm comfortable with.

Jayne

You know, I always used to do written thank yous and I still make my kids do it in most instances.

Here, though, I guess it seemed appropriate to me to do my thank you's on line, since that is the medium we use for most of our contact with each other.

Does that make sense?

Annie

Yes, Annie...that was my thinking, too! And I make the kids write thank yous and mail them. Actually, they're young enough that I don't really have to "make" them! That will come, I'm sure! They love to write notes because they love to "get" mail...so they love to send mail.

I too thank on-line. It just never occurred to me to send a thank you, even though I would not dream of not sending a thank you for a gift normally. So, if I have ever offended someone by not doing that, please forgive me. Everything, and I mean everything, I have ever received from anybody here was very much loved and appreciated.

Ok now that I've totally riled everyone up....

Hey! Look over there! Its a....a....a...GIANT MLC!!!! Quick, go get it!

Ya think that distracted them? No? Gotta try something else? OK, lets try this....

Whatever you do....do NOT search ebay for 'weenie martini glass'. Nope, don't go there. Uh uh. I'm warning ya.

Are we all gone yet?

Good try, Miss Manners.

Hey, they are only $3.99!

Ok, I had to do it, I looked it up. When I started to 'snort' DH of course asked what was so funny. To explain the glasses, I had to try to explain about the group [a bunch of gals near my age who have a "sense of humor" that well, let me tell you about banana bunkers]. In the long run he just shook his head and turned up the volume of the TV, saying "no wonder you like them so much."

Susan

LOL, Susan, but we are a fun bunch of people, aren't we?

I'm not even going to LOOK for those glasses, I'm staying right the heck away from Ebay....

Annie

Restraint, oy! So now I have to keep those extra goodies for myself? Groups, yeah, that's it, I'll do groups: Things you might like to try; Things you might put on things; Things to go with things; Things you found in stores; and Things to add to things. There, that's 5.

Hey Bubbe - I like your thinking !

I just thought of another rule this is very important.

If you are participating in a swap then you should also be posting on a regular basis to many of the threads on the Cooking Forum. Especially if you are a relatively new member to the forum and not as well known.

Ann

MMFffgghhh grrrrgmmllee *POP* - Thats the sound of me trying to talk with a foot in my mouth, and finally removing it.

I see this thread got bumped up...I want to take the opportunity to apologize to all. I re-read what I posted about thank you notes being 'common sense and courtesy' and I find, upon a second look, that it was bossy and inappropriate. I have received thank you notes for my boxes, so I'm feeling guilty - and I should not have imposed my feelings here!

And now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Hmm, I cannot find the glass in question at e-bay. Was it so offensive that it might have been removed?

As for thank you notes, I personally have never received one. I have received e-mail ones, but not every time. I think the long descriptions and thanks in the postings are enough. But then again, I am uncouth.

-Robin

Robin, you are right, it appears to be gone, not even in the 'completed listings' search results. Its more of a gag item (er sorry about THAT pun) so I can't imagine it being too offensive, but ya never know. You can, however google it. Be warned!

I think we could design our very own CF Swap Thank You notes...maybe i Village and the GW would coordinate an online card division and we'd have the whole thing covered.

You know it is really lovely that the packages include such thoughtful and complete notes describing the contents and reasons they were chosen. It's a wonder that it never dawned on me to write an equivalent thank you. Blech! I need to go back to Miss Manner's School. Maybe we could get a group rate. I'll bring the libations.

ACK the boxes are coming in, I'm trying to be a good swap citizen and post to every one that arrives. Since it will be hard to keep track, I'm going to print out a swap list and mark off the ones I've seen and commented on. Just a household hint here for those who are as forgetful as me.

Personally, I felt that photographing the items and then describing them here with detailed messages was thanks enough.
The photography is more time consuming than hand writing a thank you note and to me shows more appreciation.

Lars